‘SPIDER-MAN’ Reboot Update: MARTIN SHEEN, DENIS LEARY Join Cast

MARTIN SHEEN

DENIS LEARY

Source: SuperHeroHype.com, HollywoodReporter.com

MARTIN SHEEN is in final talks to play Uncle Ben in Columbia Pictures’ untitled Spider-Man movie.

[DENIS] LEARY will play police captain George Stacy, [Gwen Stacy's] father [played by EMMA STONE] who frequently came into contact with the web-slinging superhero.

Read more HERE and HERE.

They join ANDREW GARFIELD as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and RHYS IFANS who has been cast as Dr. Curt Connors/The Lizard.

‘THE WOLVERINE’ – Starring HUGH JACKMAN, Directed By DARREN ARONOFSKY

'THE WOLVERINE': Starring HUGH JACKMAN and directed by DARREN ARONOFSKY

Source: HitFix.com

The film that [DARREN ARONOFSKY is] directing is officially called “The Wolverine,” and there won’t be a number attached to it.

…He referred to the movie as a “one-off,” and he emphasized that the film isn’t a sequel in any conventional sense.

Read more HERE.

‘X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE’ was utter shit but you really gotta hand it to HUGH JACKMAN. That he seems to love the character is of little doubt – and that’s a refreshing change of pace taking into consideration a Marvel property like HULK.

Bringing Aronofky on board shows that Jackman wants to make the Wolverine movie we all want to see. Now let’s see if they can deliver.

It’s Official: DARREN ARONOFSKY Directing WOLVERINE 2

DARREN ARONOFSKY (left) and HUGH JACKMAN

Source: NYMag.com

With Darren Aronofsky directing, [HUGH JACKMAN] says that Wolverine 2 will not be a “usual” X-Men movie:

“This is, hopefully for me, going to be out of the box. It’s going to be the best one, I hope.”

Also:

“Chris McQuarrie, who wrote THE USUAL SUSPECTS, has written the script, so that’ll give you a good clue [as to overall tone of the movie between screenwriter and director].”

Read more HERE.

SPIDER-MAN Reboot Update: Villian Revealed – RHYS IFANS To Play THE LIZARD

RHYS IFANS

Source: TheWrap.com

Or should we say IFANS – who was just confirmed for the role of the villian a couple days ago – is playing the guy who turns into the Lizard. This wouldn’t be the first time producers involved with the franchise have flirted with having the Lizard as the principle foe in a SPIDER-MAN movie as THRALL WORLD posted late last year just before SONY decided to scrap everything and start over with a new creative team and cast.

No confirmation from SONY just yet but word on the street is that:

Rhys Ifans will play Dr. Curt Connors, better known as The Lizard, in Marc Webb’s “Spider-Man.”

Read more HERE.

SPIDER-MAN vs. THE LIZARD in new SPIDER-MAN reboot

SPIDER-MAN Reboot Update: RHYS IFANS Cast As Villian

RHYS IFANS

Source: ComingSoon.net

RHYS IFANS (NOTTING HILL, LITTLE NICKY, HANNIBAL RISING) will play the villain, opposite ANDREW GARFIELD as Peter Parker and EMMA STONE as Gwen Stacy.

The filmmakers prefer to not reveal which character Ifans will be playing in the forthcoming film.

Read more HERE.

Directed by MARC WEBB, the newly rebooted SPIDER-MAN movie is set for 3D release on July 30th, 2012.

It’s Official: EMMA STONE As GWEN STACY In New SPIDER-MAN Reboot

EMMA STONE and ANDREW GARFIELD

Source: ComingSoon.net, IMDB

There seemed to be some confusion on the part of the interwebz about whether or not red-haired EMMA STONE would play red-haired MARY JANE WATSON or blond-haired GWEN STACY.

Regardless of the hair, Stone has been slected to portray the role of GWEN STACY. And there seems to be a lot of importance attached to this casting so THRALL WORLD is led to believe that MJ might not figure as prominent in the SPIDER-MAN initial reboot movie as producers rewind and start anew the telling of the popular comic book hero.

EMMA STONE [ZOMBIELAND] has been cast as the female lead in the upcoming Spider-Man film film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios, it was announced today by Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Matt Tolmach, president of Columbia Pictures.

Stone has been tapped for the role of GWEN STACY opposite ANDREW GARFIELD [THE SOCIAL NETWORK, THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS] as Peter Parker.

The film, to be directed by Marc Webb [(500) DAYS OF SUMMER] from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt and produced by Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will begin production in December and will be released in theaters nationwide in 3D on July 3, 2012.

Read more HERE.

First Peek At CAPTAIN AMERICA Costume And More + JANUARY JONES As EMMA FROST From ‘X-MEN: FIRST CLASS’

Production still from 'THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA'

Source: DailyMail.co.uk, infdaily.com, comingsoon.net

Important to note: That is NOT CHRIS EVANS who is the lead in the upcoming THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA but rather a stunt double.

Being chased by agents of the primary film villian THE RED SKULL and/or agents of H.Y.D.R.A. – there is non-unanimous confirmation as to exactly who they are.

Early still from 'THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA': Either agents of the primary film villian THE RED SKULL and/or agents of H.Y.D.R.A.

More pictures HERE.

Also: A glimpse of JANUARY JONES as EMMA FROST from the upcoming ‘X-MEN: FIRST CLASS’.

JANUARY JONES as EMMA FROST in the upcoming 'X-MEN: FIRST CLASS'

More pictures HERE.

‘X-MEN: FIRST CLASS’ Update: JAMES MCAVOY Conformed For Young PROFESSOR X Role

JAMES MCAVOY

Source: HeatVisionBlog.com

James McAvoy (ATONEMENT, WANTED) has signed on to play a young Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, in “X-Men: First Class,” which Matthew Vaughn is directing for Fox.

Plot synopsis: X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, following the classic Marvel mythology, charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men.”

Read more HERE.

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MATTHEW VAUGHN Confirmed To Direct ‘X-MEN: FIRST CLASS’, Release Date Set, Plot Details

MATTHEW VAUGHN

Source: ComingSoon.net

It’s been touch and go for the last week, but KICK-ASS director Matthew Vaughn has been confirmed to helm X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, 20th Century Fox’s prequel to the lucrative franchise based on the Marvel Comics super-team. Not only have they signed Vaughn, directing his third movie in a row based on comic material, but Fox is confident enough in his abilities to set a release date for June 3, 2011, a little less than 13 months from today.

Plot synopsis: X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, following the classic Marvel mythology, charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men.”

Read more HERE.

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BRYAN SINGER Will Produce ‘X-MEN: FIRST CLASS’ Instead Of Direct – Here’s Why

BRYAN SINGER

Source: Deadline.com

Following up on a previous post that said BRIAN SINGER would direct the next X-MEN movie franchise; ‘X-MEN: FIRST CLASS’:

[Brian] Singer and 20th Century Fox have formalized his move from director to producer on X-Men: First Class. That is the bad news for X-Men die-hards who love the first two films Singer directed. Here’s the good part: he is leaving because Fox liked the script that Jamie Moss wrote from Singer’s treatment so much that the studio wants the film right away, envisioning it as the first leg of a trilogy. The hope is to have it ready for 2011 release.

Singer will join Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg as producers. He’s not available because Warner Bros and Legendary are locked into a summer production start on Jack the Giant Killer. They’ll begin casting shortly. It is a big CG project, and they are likely to either shoot 3D or convert it later.

Read more HERE.

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SPIDER-MAN Reboot (In 3D!) Gets A Release Date

'SPIDER-MAN' Reboot release date confirmed for July 3rd, 2012

Source: ComingSoon.net

Spider-Man will swing into theaters worldwide in 3D beginning July 3, 2012. Marc Webb, the director of the Golden Globe-nominated Best Picture (500) Days of Summer, will direct.

Read more HERE.

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‘POWERS’ Comic Book In Development As FX Series – BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS Heavily Involved

Cover To 'POWERS' #1

Source: PremiumHollywood.com

FX’s President and General Manager, John Landgraf, has confirmed that a ‘POWERS’ pilot is in the works and that POWERS creator BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS is heavily involved. Also: Bendis’s collaborator is KEVIN FALLS who is best known for his work on JOURNEYMAN.

Read more HERE.

POWERS was a great ride during the dozen or so issues I picked up. Told from the perspective of two detectives who try to get to the bottom of the crime scenes they get called in to solve – which always involve super heroes. POWERS – if it stays true to the comic book and focuses on story and some mature themes – should annihilate HEROES.

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SPIDER-MAN Update: MARC WEBB Confirmed As New Director

MARC WEBB

Source: ComingSoon.net

Marc Webb, the director of the Golden Globe-nominated Best Picture (500) Days of Summer, will direct the next chapter in the Spider-Man franchise, set to hit theaters summer 2012, it was jointly announced today by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Read more HERE.

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MAJOR ‘SPIDER-MAN 4′ UPDATE!!! RAIMI, MAGUIRE ARE OUT – SONY Opts To Reboot And Start Franchise Over!!!

That's A Wrap: SAM RAIMI, TOBEY MAGUIRE, and KIRSTEN DUNST have officially spun their last web together as SONY opts to reboot the SPIDER-MAN franchise and start from scratch with a new director and cast.

Source: ComingSoon.net

Stop the presses!! Forget John Malkovich as The Vulture! Forget Dylan Baker as The Lizard! Forget whether or not Kirsten Dunst will return as Mary Jane! And heck – forget Tobey Maguire and *gasp* Sam Raimi too!?

The new chapter in the “Spider-Man” franchise produced by Columbia, Marvel Studios and Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin, will have a new cast and filmmaking team. Spider-Man 4 was to have been released in 2011, but had not yet gone into production.

Bold move on the part of Sony. THRALL WORLD was passing up on reports that production was delayed on ‘Spider-Man 4′ over the past few weeks. But now comes word that the entire cast and crew is kaput and that the entire franchise is starting from scratch!

We “got” that the script was kind of “eh” and that must have been a solid “issue” in moving forward with the 4th Spider-Man movie. No problem there. Venom was a glaring mistake in Spider-Man 3 and Sony probably wanted to avoid being trapped to the history of that sub-par Spider-Man chapter – especially as they’re pursuing a Venom movie and possible franchise there as well.

But when you keep going to the well at some point the well runs dry. When a comic book runs astray it’s easy to axe the creative team and start fresh. But such is not the case with comic book movies. It will be long time before we see another Superman, Fantastic 4 and even X-Men is being rebooted to a younger generation of familiar mutants after the turd that was ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’.

Bottom line in the new age of the comic book movie of the week? Make sure the movie you greenlight doesn’t suck because it appears to be pretty difficult to get over.

Sam Raimi commented:

“Working on the ‘Spider-Man’ movies was the experience of a lifetime for me. While we were looking forward to doing a fourth one together, the studio and Marvel have a unique opportunity to take the franchise in a new direction, and I know they will do a terrific job.”

The rebooted Spider-Man is tentative for summer 2012.

Read more HERE.

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‘SPIDER-MAN 4′ Update: JOHN MALKOVICH Confirms Involvement As THE VULTURE

JOHN MALKOVICH

Source: ComingSoon.net, BadTaste.it

Doesn’t mean it’s a done deal though just yet. The big question is if the Vulture from the classic Spider-Man comic book stories from the old-school 60′s run is compelling enough as a villian to translate well today. Here’s the latest:

Malkovich was interviewed by an Italian sports show called “Quelli Che il Calcio” and he was asked not only about whether he had been approached to play the Vulture but also about the production delays. The fine folks at the Italian web site Bad Taste have graciously provided an English summation of what was said on the show:

“When conductor Simona Ventura asked him about his role of Vulture in the movie, he not only didn’t deny his involvement, but confermed that he’s waiting for the final script to be sent to him, and that the movie has been delayed. He also hopes that shooting will begin as soon as possible”.

Read more HERE and if you can read in Italian click HERE for the original interview.

THE VULTURE (from waaay back in SPIDER-MAN #2) is starting to sound like a very strong possibility as a key villian in 'SPIDER-MAN 4'

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BRYAN SINGER Returns To X-MEN Franchise – Will Direct ‘X-MEN: FIRST CLASS’

BRYAN SINGER Returns To 'X-MEN' Franchise

Source: Variety

Twentieth Century Fox has set Bryan Singer to direct “X-Men: First Class,” returning him to the franchise that began with the first two installments of the mutant series.

“This is the formative years of Xavier and Magneto, and the formation of the school and where there relationship took a wrong turn,” Singer said. “There is a romantic element, and some of the mutants from ‘X-Men’ will figure into the plot, though I don’t want to say which ones. There will be a lot of new mutants and a great villain.”

Read more HERE.

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DYLAN BAKER Confirmed To Return For ‘SPIDER-MAN 4′ – Is THE LIZARD The Next Spider-Foe??

DYLAN BAKER

Source: UGO.com

[Dylan] Baker confirmed that he is on board for Sam Raimi’s forthcoming Spider-Man 4. Baker appeared in Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3 as Dr. Curt Connors, a professor at Empire State University.

Read more HERE.

SPIDER-MAN vs. THE LIZARD in 'SPIDER-MAN 4'??

In the comic-book Dr. Curt Connors becomes the Spider Man villian, The Lizard, and it’s possible director Sam Raimi could go in that direction for one of the films villians.

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‘SPIDER-MAN 4′ Update: Release Date Announced – Will Get IMAX Treatment

Will 'SPIDER-MAN 4' Be TOBEY MAGUIRE's PETER PARKER Finale?

Source: ComingSoon.net

IMAX Corporation and Columbia Pictures today announced that the highly-anticipated action-adventure Spider-Man 4, will be released to IMAX(R) theatres simultaneously with the film’s worldwide release on May 5, 2011. The fourth installment of the successful “Spider-Man” franchise, based on the Marvel Comicbook character, will be digitally re-mastered into the image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience.

Spider-Man 4 will reunite director Sam Raimi with stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst.

Read more HERE.

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WARNER BROTHERS Creates DC ENTERTAINMENT INC.

WARNER BROTHERS

DC Comics Logo

Source: ComingSoon.net

Warner Bros. has officially announced the restructuring of DC Comics into a new company:

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI) has created DC Entertainment Inc., a new company founded to fully realize the power and value of the DC Comics brand and characters across all media and platforms, to be run by Diane Nelson, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, and Alan Horn, President & COO, Warner Bros.

Read the entire press release HERE.

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FANTASTIC FOUR Headed For Reboot

FANTASTIC FOUR #1 circa 1961

Source: Variety

Hot on the heels of the absolutely dreadful one-two suck-punch of FANTASTIC FOUR (2005) and its even more abhorrent sequel, FANTASTIC FOUR 2 (2007) comes news of FOX plans to reboot the entire franchise:

While Disney lays down a $4 billion bet on the future of Marvel’s superheroes, 20th Century Fox has already begun overhauling one of its big Marvel franchises, “Fantastic Four,” to take the property beyond the two films already made.

Akiva Goldsman has been hired to oversee the reboot as producer. Michael Green, the co-exec producer of TV’s “Heroes” who co-wrote “Green Lantern,” will write the script for the new “Fantastic Four.”

Read more HERE.

THRALL WORLD observes that the only remaining problem is that FOX is still involved…

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